The warrant officer program offers enlisted personnel the chance to become officers. Warrant officers are higher in rank than enlisted personnel but are lower than commissioned officers. The Army and Navy both have warrant officer programs. While both services rely on warrant officers for their technical expertise, they are different when comparing their duties, qualifications and work life.

Definitions

The Army considers its warrant officers to be technical experts in their fields, but they play a dual role. They are also leaders and are expected to live up to the reputation of a commissioned officer. The Navy's definition of a warrant officer is much the same. However, naval warrant officers perform many of their duties on ships. In its very early years, before official inception of the warrant officer rank, trusted enlisted members were given warrants to act in certain capacities higher than their enlisted ranks; thus, the term warrant officer.

History

In 1918, the Army officially sanctioned the Warrant Officer Corps after seeing the success of the British Royal Navy's warrant officer promotions. However, the Army had unofficially been granting this authority since 1775, first by providing the warrants to soldiers acting in an officer capacity, and then approximately two decades later when it officially appointed enlistees without proper sanctioning. The Navy's procedure is similar. It too modeled itself after the Royal Navy, but Navy warrant officers have held the positions of warrant officer officially since 1775 with the beginning of the Revolution.

Requirements

The Army accepts warrant officers directly from entry for its flight school program. These new members must meet the basic guidelines for enlistment including completion of basic training. Then warrant officer recruits will then advance to warrant officer training school and then move on to their specialties. Current enlistees must have 12 years experience in their military occupation specialties prior to qualifying. The base rank is E5, although each specific specialty might have more stringent rank requirements. The Navy differs somewhat. As opposed to the Army, the Navy just recently began its Flying Chief Warrant Officer Pilot Program, where current members can apply for flight school. To see how you can apply for flight school without naval experience, contact your local Navy recruiter. For most warrant officer positions, you must be a chief petty officer, grade E7, and have completed at least 12 years of service. The Navy also requires warrant officers to attend officer training.

Duties and Positions

The Army's warrant officer positions are considered single-specialty and have a career track focused on one area of expertise. Army warrant officers can serve in a variety of fields including intelligence, special forces, avionics and administration. But they don't take command of Army departments. The Navy too offers a variety of positions, but naval warrant officers also can serve as executive, division and commanding officers.

About the Author

Michelle Dwyer is a U.S. Army veteran writing fiction and nonfiction since 2003. She specializes in business, careers, leadership, military affairs and organizational change and behavior. Dwyer received an MBA from Tarleton State University/Texas A&M Central Texas and an MFA in creative writing from National University in La Jolla, Calif.